Electric condenser



Dec. 13, M271 1,652,863

F. J. KENT ELECTRIC CONDENSER Filed March 30, 1925 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 13, 1927. y

lUNITED STATES ERANKJ. KENT, 0E VERONA., NEW JERSEY, AssIGNon, EY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, To

UNrrRoL connnnsnn conrona'rron, 0E NEW Yoan, N.

DELAWARE.

PATENT oFFlcE. j

Y., A CORPORATION OF ELECTRIC CoNDENsER.

Application aied'narh 3o, 1925. serial Nel 19,338.

, One of the requirements of an effective condenser is that the plates be quite closely spaced. As condensers are constructed at present this requirement leads 'to vfrequent faults because in the `forms ofcondensers now on the market7 the'plates are easily bent or deformed, causing short circuits and other faults, difficult or impossible to correct. l The present-day condensers, furthermore," are usually made up of a considerable number of separate parts which must be assembled with care and skill, and as vthese qualities are variable with different operatives the products naturally vary accordingly.

Some of the more important objects of this invention areto eliminate these objections7 that is, to provide a condenser inwhichthe plates will be permanently spaced in proper close relation and in which each set of plates Mwill be a complete integral runit of a fixed,

Las distinguished from an uncertain or vari-A able value.

`Further objects capable of extremely line adjustment, highcapacity values and free Aof electric losses. l l

The foregoing `and `other objects `are attained Vin part by 3a. novel construction Vfof condenser elements and involving arcuate plates, interleaving on 'arcuate lines, said plates beingformed-on arcs having-a common center and the movable plate vorset'of vplates being carried bya shaftvwhose axis corresponds with this center. Eachset of plates 4is preferably constructedas a 'single ii'itegral unit and these plates may be vslightly tapered or continued onslightly'eccentric are toprovide a condenser having `lines so that with a relative movement of the two sets of plates, a bodily approach and separation may be accomplished to effect a very gradual variation of the capacity.,` 'y Other novelv features of thei-nventionwill appear as the specificationproceeds.y

` Inthe drawing accompanying andforming partf of this specification, one lof the practical commercial l embodiments ofthe in.- vention is illustrated, but it should'befunderstood that the structure maybe modiiedfand changed in various .respects 'without de,- parture from the broadspirit and scope of the invention as Ahereinafterdeiined and claimed. l f Figure 1 is ya rear view of the-condenser.

Figure 2 is a. vert-ical c-ross's'ectional view Figure 5 is a rear view showing the plates A aslongitudinally taperedto effect an automatic approach in` the'- rotative adjustment of the elements'. 1

Figure 6 `is a vertical section and Figure 7 is a broken detail of means for leffectingV a bodily to and frov adjustment ofthe plates.

Figure 8 isa fragmentary Vsec-tion of means for spacing the condenser at the back of a. supporting panel.

The particular condenser illustrated is made up of a set of three stationary plates Z and `a set o'f three cooperating interleaving movable plates 8." All these plates are in the form of arcuate segments of cylinders of of the-same as mountedy onasupporting different Adiameters' but'having a common aXisQ. This axis isthe center aboutfwhich all the plates are concentricallyV grouped.

l The-)stationary plates are `shown connected together at the back by -integrallyformed lugs 10` disposed at the ends vand at 'an' iriterinediate point in thelengthvof the plates.

vThese connections hold the intermediate and end portions of the plates definitely spaced 'and the' curvature of theplates `imparts -to them a certain rigidity so that the spacing i may besuch as toafford very small-clear-' ances, with the assurance that these 'Y clearancres will/be permanent.` y i A Y Insimilarfashion, the movable platesA are shown connected at ythe back atintermediate y y and end points byintegral lugs or bridges 1l which,` with'the rigidified character-.of the 'platesassuresa ermanenc ofs acinvand' maintainance of tliefineV clearances origii nally vxed. *It will benotedfthat the conouter edges of` the two sets of intermeshing `plates and' so donot interfere ywith the meshing action of theu plates.

.fnecting lugs or bridges are 'disposed atthe i' Theset of stationary .plates is shown as supported through lugslZfprojecting substantially radially from theloutermost plate and screwsl?) extending through these lugsl and lengaged with. the lower cornersj'offa SubStfmts-ly triangulai- .bse plateale?,

' arms 17 extending from the inner end of supporting screws denser.

this shaft on divergent angles to the inner movable plate form the means of connection between the shaft and movable set. This connection, as shown in Figure 1, provides a V-shaped truss which further braces the movable plates.

The shaft bearing is shown as a bearing sleeve 18, set in a hub 19 formed in the upper corner of the base, said sleeve having conical end faces engaged respectively by a bearing cone 2O on the end ofthe shaft and Aan oppositely facing cone 21 engaged on the shaft and acted on by a spring or spring washer 22, the tension of which is adjustable by nuts 23 screwed on the shaft. It will be seen that by adjusting the spring tension at this point the loose cone 21 can be made to engage its seat in thefend of the bearing sleeve with variable pressure and so the tension at which the rotor will beheld in adjusted position can readily be iii-ed to suit different requirements. In all adjustments, however, the rotorI is accurately centered so as to interleave the stationary plates without contacting. Y

,A suitable knob or other operating member 24 may be secured on the outer end of the. rotor shaft. Also, any suitable means may be provided for mounting the con- In the illustration, as shown .in Figures 2 and 6, the supporting screws 13 are utilized for this purpose by making such screws long enough to project through the panel 25 or other support and engaging fastening nuts 26 on the protruding ends of the screws at the front ofthe panel. As shown in these views, where the condenser is secured closely against the back of the panel, it `may be necessary to make the shaft opening 2'? in the panel .large enough to take a portion of the hub structure of the con-V denser. The necessity for this vlarge opening may be avoided, however, by spacing the condenser back of the panel, as indicated .in Figure 8, by the interposition Vof spacing sleeves 28 screwed on the protruding ends of the supporting screws 13 and receiving 29 passed through the front of the panel. v

The desired integrality of parts is obtainedin the present disclosure by casting Substantially v radial vin different lengths or widths;

or molding the stator with its connecting and supporting lugs as one unit and the rotor with its connecting lugs, supporting arms and shaft all as another unit. iVhen so made, the plates are formed with a draw7 or taper as indicated most clearly in Figures 2 and 4:, and this wedge-like structure permits of a further and finer relative adjustment by a bodily shifting or nesting movement of the plates. In Figure'G this bodily shifting movement is effected by' providing a cam slot 30 in the Vcondenser shaft engaged by a reiatively stationary pin 81. This pin is shown as carried by a screw 32 adjustably mounted inthe shaft bearing so that it may be advanced or retracted according as to whether or not-this extra or vernier adjustment -is to be employed. It will be understood that the cam shoulders may be positioned toeifect the bodily adjustment at any point in the rotary shifting of the plates, for instance, at the short wave end of the condenser action where finer adjustments are necessary.

In the structure illustrated in Figure 5, a Vernier effect is automatically introduced in the rotary adjustment of the condenser by making the movable plates taper longitudinally inY thickness, as indicated at 8 3, and the stationarz )lates 7a as reversel ta ered so that there will be a gradual approaching of the opposed surfaces as the condenser is justed toward maximum capacity.

The arcuate extent of the segmental plates may be varied to suit dicrent requirements, but usually each set of plates will be somewhat less than 180 degrees so as to enable an approach to Zero capacity. The number and size of the plates also may vary to suit different values required and the integrality of the respective condenser velementsV makes this readily practicable because one or any number of plates may as easily be cast or molded, connected as indicated, on various arcs and The structure as a whole is compact and size considered, has a high capacity value, losses are reduced to a minimum andthe variations in adjustment are uniform. The means shown for effecting relative movement of translation of the condenser elements imposes certain limitations of adjustments but if desired, a free and unrestricted relative bodily movement of the condenser elements may be provided for, whereby they may be manually adjusted through an infinite range. Thus the rotor element may be shifted relatively to the stator by suitable means entirely independently of the relative rotative .adjustment ofthe two elements, as by shifting the rotor shaft longitudinally for, finer or Vernier settings, after approximate adjustment has been effected by rotation of the shaft. j

` It will also beclear that the automatic ad- `overlapping groups, each group comprising integrally united Ielements and said elements being supported for relative rotative adjustment about the axiscommon to` both groups, said cylindricalv plate segments ofv the two groups being. revers'elyf tapered transversely vin cross sectionand joined together at the thicker portions of the-same and means for effecting a bodily translation V of the two sets of elements in addition to the relatively rotative adjustment ofthefsame. f

2. In a device of "the character' disclosed, interleaving substantially cylindrical and concentricplate segments arranged in two overlapping groups, each group comprising integrally united elements and said elements being supported for relative rotative adjust- 'ment about the axis common to both groups,

said cylindrical plate segments being'tapeied transversely in cross sectionaiid joinedtogether at the thicker portions of the same and' means for automatically effecting a bodsame.` f j, j

l3. In a device of the character disclosed,

Vinterleaving substantially cylindrical and f concentric platesegments arranged in two overlapping groups, each group comprising integrally united elements 'andsaid elements "being supported for relative rotativeadjustmentaboutthe axis common to both groups, said cylindrical plate segments being tapered transversely in. cross section and joined tojgether at the thicker port-ions of the same, means for automatically veffecting a bodily translation of the two sets of plates in the A'course of the rotative adjustment-of the same and means for rendering said automa-tic vtranslation mechanism operative or inoperative. Y

4. In-a device of the character disclosed, concentrically curved interleavingplate segments arranged in two groups with the plates of one group relatively rotatable in respect to the other group about the common axis of the two groups, the plates of thetwo groups being transversely tapered in reverse directions and arranged with the thicker edges outermost, integral connections extending across the backs ofsaid outermost thicker edges, a supporting shaft for theV movable group of plate segments and sup- Y c, 8. A variable electrical condenser Iing a base plate, av shaftjou'rnaled in said nporting arms extending substantially radially therefrom to the inner curvedsurfaceof the inside movable plate and forming a `V- sliaped truss carrying the movablegroup of segments. f

5. In a device of the character disclosed, two concentrically related groupspof interleaving curved plate segments, a supporting v shaft for one group ofsegmcnts located at` the common axis ofthe two groups and a cam and cooperating pin associated with said shaft whereby in the'V rotative adjustment of i said shaft the movable group of Vsegments will be `automatically bodily `shifted transversely toward and away from the other group of segments.

-1 6. lIn a device of the character disclosed,

two'concentricallyl:related groups of interleaving curved platelsegmenta a supporting Y shaft foroneigroiip` of segments located at the commonaxis of the` two groups and a cam and cooperating pinv associated with said 'shaft whereby in the rotativey adjustment of .said shafttlie movable groupof segments will be automatically bodily shifte'djtrans` versely toward and away from. the other group-of segments, said pin being shiftable `by a screw to carry the same into or out of `Cooperative relation with the cam.

7. A variable electricalV condenseiucomprising a base plate, a stationary condenser element 'consisting of a group of concentri- "cally curved spaced plate segments,'liaving a common axis andarraiiged .with said vaxis ily translation :of the two sets of plates in '.SubSta-ntauy 'Pefl@@fldcula` t0 'the-general the course of the rotative adjustment of the Planefodf the has@ Plate insulating means" supporting said group 4of plates ini said. re-

oppositefedges of the same, .a movablesetiof concentrically curved plate segments intertapered transversely from the edges nearest' thebasexplate away from said lf'iaseplate'i -leaving with -the stationary segments and and an operating shaft-for the movablerset.

of segments journaled inthe baseplate on the common axis aforesaid.V

i comprisbase plate at right` angles to the general plane of the same, afstationary set ofgconcentrically curved plate segments supported onthebackofsaid base plate and having a common axis substantially coincident with the axis of theshaft, said plate segments being tapered transversely in one direction substantiallyat right angles to the general i Y the end of the shaft at the back of thel base edge in one direction and the longitudinally curved segments of the other group being tapered transversely from one edge to the other edge in the opposite direction aiid'ther Atwo groups being arranged with the thicker edges outermost, connections across the hacks of said outermost thicker edges, a shaft journaled at the common axis of `the two groups of plate segments, an arm extending substantially radially outwardly from the end of said shaft of one of the groups .of plate segments and supporting means for the other of said groups of plate segments.

ll0. A variable electrical condenser comprising interleaving longitudinally curved plate segments arranged in two overlapping relatively rotatable groups, the segments of the two groups being tapered transversely but the taper of one group being in the reverse direction to the taper of the other group, the curved segments in one group being tapered longitudinally in vone direction and the tapered segments of the other group being tapered longitudinally in the reverse direction and means for relatively rotating the groups of segments to first carry the .thinner ends of one group into overlapping relation with the thinner ends of tl other group and finally, to bring the thicker ends Awith their thinner unconnectedV forward edges faced oppositely in overlappingirelation and the thicker connected rearward edges atthe outer sides of the condenser, an

adjusting shaft mounted at the central axis tation about said axis, the curved plates ofeach group having webs across the back of the group connecting the rear or outer edges of the plates and the plates of each group being tapered in cross section transversely away from said connected back edges toward the opposite free unconnected front edges of the group, .the two Vgroupsbeing arranged with their thinner unconnected forward edges faced oppositely in overlapping relation and the thicker connected rear- ,g

ward edges at the outer sides'of the condenser, an adjustingvshaft mounted at the central axis of the two groups and an arm extending substantially radially outwardly from said shaft to `one group of curved plates, the curved plates of the respective vgroups being tapered'longitudinally in reverse directions so that in the completely meshed relationof the two groups, the thinner ends of the plates in one group will be opposed to ,the thicker ends of the plates in the other group.

13. A variable electrical condenser comprising interleaving concentrically curved condenser' plates lin two groups relatively adjustable axiallyv of the common center of the plates, the plates of the respective groups being reversely tapered transversely in cross seetion,connected across the, backs of their thicker edges and arranged with their unconnected thinnerV edges inV opposition to overlap to a greater or less extent on relative axial translation of the two groups and whereby in such movements, the spacing between the: plates of the two groups will be gradually increased orl reduced, a shaft rotatably mounted substantially at the axis of the two groups of plates and cam means for effecting axial relative translation of the two groups, includinga cam groove inthe shaft and a pin engaging said groove.

In testimony whereofl aiiix my signature.

FRANK J. KENT. 

